Gumbo Grove is once again the setting for a story involving Mary Elouise, an elementary school-aged girl whose pride in her African-American heritage grows appreciably throughout this contemporary story concerning personal self-esteem and racial pride. A visiting African-American storyteller and Mary Elouise's grandmother represent important mentors as Mary Elouise gains new insights. As she first did in JUST AN OVERNIGHT GUEST (Dial, 1980), Tate once again reliably examines sensitive, intra-racial issues directly and effectively, using lively and believable peer dialogue and motivations recognizable to readers. (Ages 9-12)